Refastenable fastening devices of the hook and loop type are currently used widely in clothing, disposable absorbent articles, and the like. Such devices are used when it is desirable to create a refastenable bond between two or more articles or between several surfaces of the same article. In certain applications, these refastenable fastening devices have replaced conventional buckles, zippers, buttons, snaps, tie fasteners or sewing.
One popular type of mechanical fastener currently in wide use which utilizes mechanical entanglement to create a refastenable bond is sold under the trademark VELCRO. VELCRO fastening devices are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 2,717,437; U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,235; U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,113; U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,837; U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,303; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,339.
VELCRO type fasteners generally utilize two components. A male component and a female component. The male and female components are often referred to as the hook and loop components, respectively. The male component generally contains a plurality of resilient, upstanding loop shaped elements. The female component generally consists of a fabric containing a plurality of upstanding loops. When the male component and female component are pressed together in a face to face relationship to close the fastening device, the hooks entangle the loops forming a plurality of mechanical bonds between the hook and loop components.
Hook and loop type mechanical fastening devices have been found especially useful on disposable absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, adult incontinence garments, feminine hygiene garments, training pants and the like. However, the use of existing refastenable hook and loop type fastening devices on such disposable absorbent articles has been limited due to the cost of the fasteners relative to other fastener types. Although several attempts have been made to reduce the cost of hook and loop type fasteners suitable for use on disposable absorbent articles, the attempts have generally suffered from the drawback that the hooks and loops must be manufactured separately from the disposable absorbent article and joined thereto during manufacturing. Therefore, in order to reduce cost and to increase manufacturing speeds, it would be advantageous to provide a landing zone which is integral with one component of the disposable absorbent article.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fastening device for disposable absorbent articles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a backsheet for a disposable absorbent article including an integral landing zone.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of making a backsheet for a disposable absorbent article including an integral landing zone for a hook and loop type fastening device.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered with reference to the following description and when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.